Multiple driving unit



Jan. 1, 1946. M. WARE 2,392,015

MULTIPLE DRIVING UNIT Filed March 31, 1944 ZSheets-Sheet l Jan. 1, 1946.v M. WARE 2,392,015

MULTIPLE DRIVING UNIT Filed March 31, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedJan. I, 1946 STATES PATENT 7 Q 2,392,015 f;

MU TIELE VING NIT Marsden- Ware, Huntington Woods; Mink as.-

sig-norto PaekarctMotor Gar-Company, Detroit,

Mich, a corporation of Michigan- Application March- 31, 1944, Serial;No. 528,89!

Hi (Claims;

This. invention r lat s. t9- ea ine and: a for. n i ct he. ro sion of. aompac ri nez ni f f ec in rotat n n. p esi e dir e e rs ct a air i cncen driven el men st omsi e e drive shaft.- The inten finds; t mmipasei m art ne ta ion in: op osite ctimi. t a. air. o coax a p opel rs.or xa e h propulsi n. o ar e. mi r: air a t.

M re. i ularlic i anv Qbieet inverstion to. rovide; a. imp e: and reedar sees-minted 1 it. ee er i 15 two concen ric-1 .1 3535: in: opensu: drec p s. m. a s n l axia lrisea ed drw ham ature of h nvent on sthe rmsi n. of ea s. here y v he ve se e rns: interpo ed t h r e sh ft n ne:o h q eent i i en. s a s: may e: assembled separate unit, i e e xmh drha t and; coupled. to thelatter and to the driven; COIL: cen c. sh h, byt d c p s: engaee b e by x al d p ace en w b ass mbl f: the. unit in; a.suitable. housing, is; facilitated arid themaintenance of the gears inproper meshing re latiqn. is. assured. 7

It is a further object of; th nvention to roe isie. mannit h pe dese ibd, ,rever ebe sear n clud n iv n 3 d-drii/en.1- 1 nd ene more nte po edidler gea s... all f the ears b i g: s nno ted: or ota ion a c rrier whih may i u io a ed" on dr e. sh ft together withe s. r dered efiecti-veiqgr ini the. car r. a a nst, o ation. en he. Parts... ar as b d o e ivee a ion: in. .a. hous n' i r h e r n Hurt-her objects. and features ofthe; inwention wil e; apparent m e low na descrintion:

talgen in connection with; the; acn mpanying r wings; n whi h Eigure 1is a longitudinal; sectiona-L view. winea. dr vina-unit embodyine t e: pinciples ojgthejnventiorr, the-section=beingitakensubstantially on theline l-l of Figure'c2z:

Eigure Zrisa: transverse rsectional view on the lin l-s-l' of Figure I;and:

Figure is a fragmentary sectionalview of parts whichcooperate to retainthe gear carrier against rotation.

In order to facilitate thev description of the. invention and" topromote; an understanding ofits; principles, the invention. isillustrated by. a eee fis. nd. p fe red: Qmb iment. there It will;nevertheless be appreciated that various lte ations. and further. mificat ons: h illustrate struc u -are contemolatedi e hres tall withinthe scope of the invention and espem-11y th scope; of the claims;-appended heretm A drive shaft 10,, which may he'connectedtd a source; ofpower. through. the coupiineiplate H, extends through a housing i=5 anjdis .jjonr's nailed for rotation therein by, suitable: bearings; 16-

IJ disposed; at,- opposite ends. of. thehoiis i g:.- 7 At its rear end,the driize shaft. lsllisdirectlg connected through coupling, element.zjflrfwith a. shaft 2 on which may e mou driyen" Q merit, for example apropeller 0 t) surrounding. the: propeller shaft, It and. concert.- tric1 therewith is;- a second shafli 2 ion which-mar be mou tedta secondproeller (hometown). roe ward of thefirst, propellen The. second'prohellenshaft. 23: is connected through. a.v suitable ecu.- pling. element, 25:to. a sleeve 26 the. latter: being j ournalled 0n the drive. shatt. ULand'withii i the; bearings- H1, and carrying at its forwardend a.toothed: coupling: element .28;provided;with axiale 1y directed, teeth;29, Reversingr gearing i SL-in-J terposedbetweenthe drive...shaft.l'mand'themn: pling element 28,;so asto impart. reverse,.rotation to theelement. and, therebip to the, propeller shaft23.

This reversing. gearing. preierablh includ s a carrier aflhavingahubportionandoneor' more. radially directed. spindles 3|I,.fo'u1: Suchspindles being illustrated, as shown in Eigurej21, The hub portion ofthe carrier. 311..isjburnailedilhgthe drive. shaft. H1, by needle,bearings, 3 1 'A .first bevel gear 38 and a second bevel gear. 3.! .ai1e journalledonthe carrier 30. atroppositeehdtvo'f the carrier hub. by,bearings. 4]; one or. more idler gears 4.2,, four, being. illustrated.are\ .1bj-i!;-. nailed on the.-.spind1es; .3jl in. 'mesmngjrelationwith. the gears 3;8. and..3.9 by needlebearihgsfill beingretainedagainst. outward displacemention the. spindles bythrust. bearings .45:sincegthe bearings 41 l'n'gmeansv of which theeears 3828M? as are.journall'ed on. thecarrier. 3111130, function as thrust bearings, itwill be perceived. thamhe gearing tra in. constitutes. a.vcoflxm'ileteand;senarate unit, the. gears 1 being, retained.inIQiioQer. meshing relation on the carrier 30 mueoendenhy of, any.other. elements, of they complete, driving unit... Theeear 3.9".provided; on; its: rearward facewith axiallyoirectedlteeth. adapted. forcoir: pling enga ement. with-the, teeth-1291011 thermate 28. The gear,38 is. similarly, provided, omits f orward; face with axially directedteeth adapted for coupling engagement: with-teeth summed on: thedr-iveshattzi it. These. oop rating-z can? pling teeth are shaped toengage somewhat ment of the several elements of the unit.

Thus the housing l5 may be formed in two parts 52 and 53 which arebolted or otherwise secured together when the assembly is completed. Theforward portion 52 of the housing I5 receives the forward end of theshaft III, the shaft being retained therein against axial displacementby the coupling plate II and its sleeve l2, and by gear 65 and spacingsleeve l3, the sleeves l2 and I3 abutting the bearings I 6 whichfunction as thrust bearings to position the shaft. The gear unit,assembled with the reverse gears in meshing relation on the carrier 30as hereinbefore described, is then assembled on the shaft Ill with plingconnecting said first bevel gear with said drive shaft, a second bevelgear coaxial with said drive shaft, a toothed coupling connecting saidsecond bevel gear with said other of said propeller shafts, a carriermounted on said drive shaft, at least one bevel pinion rotatablysupported on said carrier and meshing with said first and second bevelgears, means retaining said carrier against rotation, and bearingsjournalling said first and second bevel gears on said carrier.

2. In a driving unit for concentric propeller shafts, the combinationwith a drive shaft coaxial with the propeller shafts, of a directcoupling between said drive shaft and one of said pr l the couplingteeth on the forward face of the gear 38 in operative engagement withthe shaft carried teeth 41. The coupling element 28 is then assembled inthe rearward portion 53 of the housing and is positioned on the rear endof the shaft III with the teeth 29 in cooperative relation with theteeth on the rear face of the gear 39. The propeller shafts 2| and 23may then be readily secured respectively to the coupling elements and25, so'that the propeller shaft 2! may be driven directly from the driveshaft l0, and the propeller shaft 23 may be driven in a reversedirection through the bevel gear train when carrier is held againstrotation.

In order to prevent rotation of carrier 30 when the latter is properlyassembled in the housing I5, an annular member 56 may be secured to theforward face of the rear section 53 of the housing. The member 55 isprovided with one or more bosses 58, shown more particularly in Figure3, each boss 58 being bifurcated to provide a fork 59 within which isreceived ananchoring element 60, Each anchoring element 60 is receivedin a socket 62 formed in the hub portion of the carrier 30 and isprovided with a flange 63 which is'bolted to the hub portion to securethe element in position. It will be observed that as the rear section 53of the housing i5 is slid on the rearward end of the shaft ID, theanchoring elements 60, if properly positioned initially, are embraced bythe forks 59 of the bosses 58,'so that the carrier 30 is effectivelyretained against rotation merely by axial displacement of the parts intothe assembled relation.

The gear 65, keyed on the shaft it], may be employed to drive a pump 66or other auxiliary equipment.

It is sometimes desirable to provide a gear train affording other than aone to one ratio, for instance for the purpose of driving the rearpropeller somewhat faster than the front propeller. This may be readilyaccomplished by employing gears 38 and 39 of different pitchdiameter'and inclining the spindles 31 either forwardly or rearwardly atsuch an angle to the axis of shaft Ill as to provide proper meshingrelation of the gears of the reverse train.

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new anddesired to be securedby Letters Patent is: j

1. In a driving unitfor marine craft employin'g concentric. propellershafts, the combination with a drive shaft coaxial with the propellershafts, of a coupling connecting said drive shaft with one of saidpropeller shafts for unitary rotation, and means including reverse bevelgearing connecting said drive shaft with the other of said propellershafts, said means including a first bevel gear coaxial with said driveshaft, a toothed coushafts, and means including reverse bevel gearingconnecting said drive shaft with the other of said propeller shafts,said means including a first bevel gear coaxial with and rotatable bysaid drive shaft, a second bevel gear coaxial with said drive shaft androtatable with said other of said propeller shafts, a carrier mounted onsaid drive shaft, at least one bevel pinion rotatably supported on saidcarrier and meshing with said first and second bevel gears, meansretaining said carrier against rotation, and means journalling saidfirst and second bevel gears on said carrier.

3. In a driving unit for concentric propeller shafts, the combinationwith a drive shaft coaxial with the propeller shafts, of a directcoupling between said drive shaft and one of said propeller shafts, andmeans including reverse bevel gearing connecting said drive shaft withthe other of said propeller shafts, said means including a first bevelgear coaxial with and rotatable by said drive shaft, a second bevel gearcoaxial with said drive shaft and rotatable with said other of saidpropeller shafts, a carrier mounted on the axis of said drive shaft, atleast one bevel pinion rotatably supported on said carrier and meshingwith said first and second bevel gears, and means retaining said carrieragainst rotation, whereby said propeller shafts are rotated in oppositedirections by said drive shaft.

4. In a driving unit for concentric propeller shafts, the combinationwith a drive shaft coaxial with the propeller shafts, of a directcoupling between said drive shaft and one of said propeller shafts, andmeans including reverse bevel gearing connecting said drive shaft withthe other of said propeller shafts, said means including a first bevelgear coaxial with and rotatable by said drive shaft, a second bevel gearcoaxial with said drive shaft and rotatable with said other of saidpropeller shafts, a carrier mounted on the axis of said driv shaft, atleast one bevel pinion rotatably supported on said carrier and meshingwith said first and second bevel gears, a housing for said unit, andcooperating members on said housing and carrier for retaining the latteragainst rotation, said members being engageable on endwise assemblingmovement of said carrier into said housing. r i I 5. In a driving unitfor concentric propeller shafts, the combination with a drive shaftcoaxial with the propeller shafts, of a coupling connecting said driveshaft with one of said propeller shafts for unitary rotation, and meansincluding reverse bevel gearing connecting said drive shaft wtih theother of said propeller shafts, said means including a first bevel gearcoaxial with said drive shaft, a toothed coupling connecting said'firstbevel gear with said drive shaft, a second bevel gear coaxial with saiddrive shaft, a toothed coupling connecting said second bevel gear-withsaid other of saidpropeller shafts, a carrier. mounted on the axis ofsaid drive shaft, at least one bevel pinion rotatably supported on saidcarrier and meshing with said first and second bevel gears, a housingfor said unit, and cooperating members on said housing and carrier forretaining the latter against rotation, said members being engageable onendwise assembling movement of said carrier into said housing.

6. In a driVing unit for concentric propeller shafts, the combinationwith a rive shaft coaxial with the propeller shafts, of a couplingconnecting said drive shaft with one of said propeller shafts forunitary rotation, and means including reverse bevel gearing connectingsaid drive shaft with the other of said propeller shafts, said meansincluding a first bevel gear coaxial with said drive shaft, a toothedcoupling connecting said first bevel gear with said drive shaft, asecond bevel gear coaxial with said drive shaft, a toothed couplingconnecting said second bevel gear with said other of said propellershafts, a carrier mounted on said drive shaft, at least one bevel pinionrotatably supported on said carrier and meshing with said first andsecond bevel gears, bearings journalling said first and second lbevelgears on said carrier, a housing for said unit, and cooperating memberson said housing and carrier for retaining the latter against rotation,said members being engageable on endwise assembling movement of saidcarrier into said housing.

'7. In a driving unit for concentric driven elements, the combinationwith a housing for said unit and a drive shaft journalled in saidhousing, of a direct coupling between said drive shaft and one of saiddriven elements and means including reverse bevel gearing connectingsaid drive shaft with the other of said driven elements, said meansincluding a first bevel gear coaxial with and rotatable by said driveshaft, a second bevel gear coaxial with said drive shaft and rotatablewith said other of said driven elements, a carrier mounted on the axisof said drive shaft, at least one bevel pinion rotatably supported onsaid carrier and meshing with said first and second 'bevel gears, andmeans connecting said carrier and said housing for retaining saidcarrier against rotation.

8. In a driving unit for concentric driven elements, the combinationwith a housing for said unit and a drive shaft journalled in saidhousing, of a coupling connecting said drive shaft with one of saiddriven elements for unitary rotation, and means within said housing,including reverse bevel gearing, connecting said drive shaft with theother of said driven elements, said means including a first bevel gearcoaxial with and coupled with said drive shaft, a second bevel gearcoaxial with said drive shaft, a coupling connecting said second bevelgear with said other of said driven elements, a carrier mounted on saiddrive shaft, at least one bevel pinion rotatably supported on saidcarrier and meshing with said first and second bevel gears, meansconnecting said housing and carrier retaining said carrier againstrotation, and bearings journalling said first and second bevel gears onsaid carrier.

9. In a driving unit for concentric propeller propeller shafts, saidmeans including a first bevel gear coaxial with and rotatable by saiddrive shaft, a second bevel gear coaxial with said drive shaft androtatable with said other of said propeller shafts, a carrier mounted onthe axis of said drive shaft, a plurality of bevelpinions rotatablysupported on said carrier and meshing with said first and second bevelgears, and means retaining said carrier against rotation, said lastmeans including a housing for said gearing, elements projecting radiallyfrom said carrier, and means projecting axially from said housing forembracing said elements when said housing and gearing are assembled byrelative axial displacement.

10. In a driving unit employing concentric propeller shafts, thecombination with a drive shaft coaxial with the propeller shafts, of acoupling connecting said drive shaft with one of said propeller shaftsfor unitary rotation, and means including reverse bevel gearingconnecting said drive shaft with the other of said propeller shafts,said means including a first bevel gear coaxial with said drive shaft, atoothed coupling connecting said first bevel gear with said drive shaft,a second bevel gear coaxial with said drive shaft, a toothed couplingconnecting said second bevel gear with said other of said propellershafts, a carrier mounted on said drive shaft, at least one bevel pinionrotatably supported on said carrier and meshing with said first andsecond bevel gears, bearings journalling said first and second bevelgears on said carrier, a housing formed in two sections adapted to beconnected in a plane transverse to the axis of the drive shaft, andmeans carried by one of said housing sections and engageable with saidcarrier on axial assembly of said gearing in such housing section toretain said carrier against rotation.

11. In a driving unit for multiple driven shafts, the combination with adrive shaft coaxial with the driven shafts, of a direct coupling betweensaid drive shaft and one of said driven shafts, and

means including reverse bevel gearing connecting said drive shaft withthe other of said driven shafts, said means including a first bevel gearcoaxial with and rotatable by said drive shaft, a second bevel gearcoaxial with said drive shaft and rotatable with said other of saiddrive shafts, a carrier mounted on the axis of said drive shaft, atleast one bevel pinion rotatably supported on said carrier and meshingwith said first and second 'bevel gears, a housing formed in twosections adapted to be connected in a plane transverse to the axis ofthe drive shaft, and means carried by one of said housing sections andengageable with said carrier on axial assembly of said gearing in suchhousing section to retain said carrier against rotation.

MARSDEN WARE.

